There’s stress and then there’s burnout. There are days when stress and workload just gang up, and you end up feeling no motivation at all, no drive to work. The burnout affects not just you but also your employees, who feel the pressure just like you.
The worst part is that it also affects your life outside the office. It leaves you with no appetite to eat, wanting to skip on hangouts with friends, and feeling disconnected from the world.
Prioritize Yourself
Now that you’re suffering from work burnout, maybe you’re thinking that the solution is changing the things around you. But actually, what you should first do is manage your own stress.
Stop working for long hours every day and going all out on the job. Stop for a moment and focus on your exercise, physical health, and mental well-being. Get enough rest and sleep. Eat well. Meditate, too. Once you take care of yourself properly, you’ll see the difference. When you feel better, that’s the time to look around and see what kind of help your employees need.
Remember that you can’t inspire others if you yourself are feeling drained and unmotivated. Lead by example by acknowledging that burnout does happen in the workplace, and then, emphasizing the importance of, say, taking office breaks and relaxing on weekends.
Help Your Team
Tackling burnout in groups can also be a good option if you don’t want to feel alone. You can facilitate group activities that will help everyone relieve stress and learn proper self-care. However, be sure not to pressure your employees to join each activity. Giving them options is better than forcing things to happen.
Team-building activities that will help your employees not only learn new skills but also have fun with colleagues is also a good way they can relieve chronic fatigue. These will also allow them to get to know each other better, which will result in better dynamics and collaboration at work. If you want to hold the activities outdoors, there are many places in Salt Lake City you can explore.
Understand Your Mission
Each of your employees may have a different reason behind their stress and burnout. What you can do is to remind them of your shared vision to keep them going. This will help make them think more optimistically about their work.
Also, always make it a point to acknowledge a job well done and celebrate work milestones. It may seem like a short-term solution, but this can be enough for people to continue going back to work every single day. By maintaining a workplace of community, you can make your employees and colleagues feel like they belong. This feeling, then, cultivates feelings of support.
Burnout happens to even the best of workers and people. Don’t forget to take care of yourself, as well as your team. Promote a culture of facing challenges together and remind them of the common goal. Acknowledge that stress and burnout are normal and that time away from work is necessary, not only for employees, but for productivity as well. Being a good boss can be different from being a good motivator. Choose to be both.
